Released: June 1, 2018

Featuring: KIRBY

Songwriter: D’Angelo Kendra Foster 9th Wonder KIRBY Black Thought

Producer: Khrysis

[Verse 1: Black Thought]
Uh
Thanks for the memories
For 1st and 3rd of the month check deliveries
Agencies in the early '80s for givin' cheese
To families with parents who had drug dependencies
Masjids and storefront ministries
Dinners from the chicken lady, Miss Genevieve
For every lesson I received as I live and breathe
And all the blessings I believed in and then achieved
Thanks to my moms for never gettin' rid of me
And to my lady baby thank you for forgivin' me
I climbed from the lower level to the mezzanine
Honestly, I really wanna say thanks for everything
Images of strange fruits hangin' from the trees
Laces on my gym shoes, skatin' from police
Kids playin' on the stoops wearing dungarees
Unbeknownst to them they livin' in the city under seige
Two Sierra Leonians and a Senegalese
Honey and lemon teas, sincere sympathies
The power of positive energy as opposed
To hatred as a motivative, thank you to my enemies
From Memphis, Tennessee
And kitchen chemistry
Atari Centipede, Heineken and Hennessy
The barbershop that used to be at 6th and Emily
For all the history and all you did for me, thank you

[Chorus: KIRBY & Black Thought]
It's such a blessing, blessing, blessing to know you
Blessing to know you
I learned my lesson, lesson, why would I hurt you?
Don't wanna hurt you (thank you)
I wanna thank you, thank you, thank you for givin' me
Thank you for givin' me love
I wanna thank you, thank you, thank you for givin' me (yeah)
Thank you for givin' me love

[Verse 2: Black Thought]
Places that I've known
Many of which I've outgrown, thanks for the ride home
Some motherfuckas tried to make me give what's mine to 'em
Thank goodness for my decent aim with one eye closed
Gangsta and fly hoes, freaks and side shows
Mistakes I've made in the past that only God knows
Usually my preference would be to travel the high road
Sometimes I strayed from the path, that's no surprise though
I had to use this expression of my gratitude
That my attitude didn't limit my latitude
In cases when I had to do, what I had to do
Even though I was spazzin' boo, I wasn't mad at you
This unbroken token of appreciation
For frequencies and stations not keepin' the people waitin'
For players who supported, remainin' completely patient
And each and every record in the basement
Listen, thank you

Black Thought

Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter is the co-founder and MC of the legendary Philadelphia-based hip-hop group The Roots.

Thought is highly renowned in the Hip-Hop community for his socially aware, informed, and character-driven rap style. He is considered by many, a lyrical killer and legend that falls in the same category as Yasiin Bey, Talib Kweli, Q-Tip, members of the Wu-Tang Clan and even Nas.

He also is a member and founder of supergroup Money Making Jam Boys, consisting of Black, and other Roots collaborators Sugar-Tongue-Slim (STS), Greg Porn, Truck North, and Dice Raw. STS can be heard on “Right On” while the other three are widely and largely on Undun.